


If All Goes Well: Goro's Awakening

by WaltzingFuriosa



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Accidental Self Harm, Blood, Character Study, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mementos (Persona 5), Persona Awakening, Someone give this poor kid a hug, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-18 04:44:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14205333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaltzingFuriosa/pseuds/WaltzingFuriosa
Summary: Goro Akechi had become very good at making himself pleasant. It was a skill he had developed out of necessity.  He wanted people to like him. so he carefully constructed his life in service to this goal. He made sure to get the best grades, he learned to speak clearly and eloquently, and he wore the nicest clothes he could afford. And all of his hard work has finally paid off, earning him a scholarship to one of the top prep schools in Tokyo, where nobody knew who he was or where he came from. This was his chance to finally make something of himself.But despite this recent success, Goro was becoming aware of something. Underneath his cheerful facade there hid a tremendous and ever growing wall of anger. It was vague, directionless, aimed at everything and nothing. Goro didn’t know what to make of this feeling so, in the end, he did what he believed any sensible person would have done.He ignored it.





	1. Playing Your Part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name of this fic was shamelessly stolen from a really great Akechi-themed playlist made by tumblr user, bevelle. Here's the link if you want to check it out (and you should!): http://bevelle.tumblr.com/post/160037162984/if-all-goes-well-a-goro-akechi-mix-listen-on

Goro Akechi had become very good at making himself pleasant. It was a skill he had developed out of necessity.  
  
He wanted people to like him. so he carefully constructed his life in service to this goal. He made sure to get the best grades, he learned to speak clearly and eloquently, he wore the nicest clothes he could afford and he took care to keep them clean. And most importantly, he learned to smile.  
  
Seeming perpetually jovial didn’t come naturally to Goro—he found it profoundly exhausting, in fact— but the importance of a good smile could not be overstated. He learned this lesson when he was about 10, when the school nurse was patching him up, as she had done many times before.  
  
The nurse was busy tending to a cut on Goro’s knee, when he asked her a question.  
  
“Nurse Hirose?” he started.  
  
She did not take her eyes off of her work. “Yes?”  
  
“Am I creepy?”  
  
The nurse stopped and looked up at him, “And why would you say something like that? Did one of the other boys call you that?”  
  
“Mhm…” Goro shifted uncomfortably. fiddling with a loose flake of fake leather that was chipping off of the examination table cushion. “Is… Is that why this keeps happening? Because I’m creepy?”  
  
“I see…” She resumed dabbing on the scrapes. Goro winced.  
  
“You’re not creepy Goro-kun, it’s just that… you can be a little… somber sometimes.” Noticing Goro’s confused look at the word “somber” she added, “I just mean that you can look kind of sad a lot and people can take that the wrong way.”  
  
Goro seemed to collapse further in on himself, his shoulders drooping.  
  
“I-I mean that- well- um...” Nurse Hirose tried to backpedal. “You see Goro-kun, people don’t like it when other people always looks so sad, it makes them feel sad too! It’s not your fault, really. That;s just how people are.”  
  
“Oh. But I don’t mean to make people feel bad. I just want people to leave me alone…”  
  
“Well, maybe it will help if you smile a little more. Maybe then people will see you differently?”  
  
Satisfied with her answer, she patted Goro encouragingly on the arm, stood up, and started to put away her supplies.  
  
Goro thought about this advice for a moment. “But,” he asked, still sitting on the examination table, “what if I don’t feel like smiling?”  
  
The nurse had clearly not been expecting any follow up questions. Goro watched as her gears turned until, finally, she replied. “Well… then you just have to smile anyway!”  
  
Every now and then, Goro thinks back to that morning and about the Nurse’s words. It was—of course—a categorically bad piece of advice, no matter how well-meaning. She might as well have told him that if he wished upon a star hard enough then all of his problems would disappear. But within this useless platitude Goro had found something: the seeds of an idea that would eventually grow into a revelation.  
  
Smile even when you don’t feel like doing it. If you smile, other people will leave you alone.  
  
If you cannot change yourself, change what people saw.  
  
You see, Goro was born stained. He was an orphan and a bastard. Unwanted by the father he had only ever known by reputation and a curse to his own mother.  
  
This stain left no physical mark, of course, no deformity or scar, but he felt it nonetheless. He felt it in the nights spent lying awake in his bed in the orphanage. He felt it In the beatings after school when he couldn’t run fast enough, in the cavalcade of foster parents who always found him wanting. In the looks from his teachers who murmured amongst themselves, wondering why he even bothered when everyone knew he would just end up either dead or in jail somewhere.  
  
It wasn’t enough to just work hard and hope for the best, Goro needed to be wanted. It was the only way he stood a chance. He had learned early on that if you weren’t wanted, if you weren’t useful, you would be thrown away.  
  
The world was convinced that people like him were no good. They wanted him to fail, they fully expected it. So Goro worked hard to succeed and surpass anybody’s expectations, purely out of spite. He would make them like him. He would fool them into thinking he was respectable. The bastards. He would show them all.  
  
So Goro smiled. He fixed the parts of himself that could be fixed and did everything he could to distract from the things that couldn’t.  
  
And at that moment, it seemed that he was finally seeing the fruits of his labor. Years of hard work and playing the teacher’s pet had finally paid off. He had managed to get a scholarship to one of the top prep schools in Tokyo, where nobody knew who he was or where he came from, Nobody aside from Principle Nakamura, anyway. He had no friends but he had no enemies either. If he just kept his head down, studied hard, and got in the good graces of the right people, he could graduate at the top of his class and, with any luck, enough glowing recommendations to secure him a spot at a good college somewhere. This was his chance to finally make something of himself. He had earned this and Goro was happy.  
  
He was happy.  
  
But as this was happening, Goro was also becoming aware of something about himself. Something he found concerning.  
  
He was tremendously, and increasingly, angry.  
  
Of course this had always been true of Goro to some degree, but it had always been something manageable and easy to push aside. A small, if persistent, itch somewhere he could never reach.  
  
But lately that feeling has become harder and harder to just shove down. These thoughts, which usually only came to him as he laid in bed awake at night, were surfacing during the daytime as well. And when Goro least expected it.  
  
The school principal sat at his desk across from him. His office smelled like cigarettes and cheap air freshener. Goro’s chair creaked as he sat down. It was uneven and rocked at the slightest adjustment.  
  
The principal was talking to him. He told him he was lucky to have been accepted to such a prestigious school. That people of his “background” are not usually given such a privilege. That he had better behave himself. That he had heard all about his problems back at his old school and that he may score well on his tests but the school will not tolerate delinquents.  
  
Goro nodded along, keeping his hands neatly folded on his lap.  
  
Yes, sir.  
  
Thank you, sir.  
  
Of course, sir.  
  
Goro was so disgusted with himself he could hardly stand it. He wanted so badly to smash his face into the wooden desk in front of him. But he restrained himself, as he always did. His smile never faltered.  
  
When the lecture was finally done, Goro thanked him and showed himself out.  
  
It was only when he went outside and closed the door that Goro realized he had been clenching his fists the entire time. He had been clenching them so hard, in fact, that he had dug in his nails deep into his palms and had started to bleed.  
  
Goro didn’t know what to make of this feeling so, in the end, he did what he believed any sensible person would have done.

He ignored it.  
  
————  
  
_Red Eye Navigation App Appeared on phone_  
  
Goro eyed his phone as he typed. He had left it lying face up by the keyboard, the mysterious red icon glowing ominously on the home screen. It showed up about a week ago, and kept reappearing no matter how many times he deleted it. It was a virus or scam of some kind, Goro was sure of it. Although he had no idea how it kept showing up on his phone.  
  
He scanned the search results but he found no websites or message boards commenting on the app.There were no shortage of stories of private information stolen via apps disguised as games or messaging services. but none of the descriptions matched what he was looking for. Not even close. How strange.  
  
Part of him wanted to just open up the app and see what it was for himself. Solve the mystery once and for all. But his common sense beat down his curiosity.  
  
Goro sighed and leaned back in his chair, taking a look around.  
  
It was getting late, so there weren’t many students still milling around the school library. In fact, he was the only person left, even the librarian seemed to have gone home for the day. Goro sat at the computer in the corner, where he had his back to the wall and could see anyone that came into the room, even though they didn’t immediately see him.  
  
The orange light peeked through the blinds and glinted off of the row of computer screens.  
  
He was getting nowhere with this, so he decided to pack up and head back to the house. Rubbing his eyes, Goro shut off the computer and gathered his things into his bag. He was just about to open the door into the hallway but he stopped when he heard some agitated voices in the hallway. He stopped to listen.  
  
“-think you can just fuck with me?”  
  
“No! No! I’ll get you the money, I promise.”  
  
“You have until tomorrow. Have nothing by then and I’ll fucking kill you.” There was a slam followed by a whimper.  
  
Goro waited until the footsteps retreated before slowly opening to door and peeking outside. Sitting on the floor with his back to the wall just a few feet away was a boy about Goro's age. It was another first year student named Takeo Sugawara, although he wasn’t in Goro’s class. He had his head in his hands, looking a little roughed up but otherwise unharmed. A quick glance down both ends of the hallway confirmed that they were alone.  
  
His first instinct was to just quietly slip away. After all, nothing good could come out of getting involved with whatever that was. But there was something about seeing Sugawara just sitting there, alone and distraught, that compelled Goro to stay. The next thing he knew, he was walking towards the boy.  
  
“Hey.”  
  
Takeo’s head snapped up and he pushed himself closer to the wall. He looked like a dog with its leg caught in a trap. He was rushing to brush away the tears from his face.  
  
“Are you ok?” he continued, smiling reassuringly. “I heard shouting.” Takeo continued to stare at him. Goro was beginning to regret his sudden burst of sentimentality.  
  
Unsure of what else to do, he bent down and awkwardly reached out his hand to help his classmate up. “Um, I’m sorry, My name is-“.  
  
Takeo recoiled from him “S-stay away from me!” he pushed himself up and skirted along the wall and farther down the hallway, never breaking eye contact, as if Akechi was some rabid animal that would attack him at any moment.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I know who you are.” Takeo hissed. “Your’e that transfer student! Enjoy the show?” His voice was filled with venom.  
  
Goro’s smile was gone.  
  
“‘Are you ok?”’ he mocked, “I don’t need your goddamn pity. I have enough problems without some loser scholarship kid getting involved. So just leave me alone!”  
  
With that, he ran away, turning the corner out of sight. Goro stood alone in the hallway until the distant sound of the main door slamming shut announced that Takeo had gone.  
  
———  
  
The train was packed as usual. Goro held his book bag in front of him, crushed into a corner of the train car. He never liked riding the subway. He always felt so helpless there, tightly packed in a metal tube that may or may not leave them trapped underground.  
  
A man wearing a face mask to Goro’s left sneezed right in Goro’s ear. Somewhere, a baby began to cry.  
  
Takeo’s words followed Goro into the train.That’s what he gets for butting in on what doesn’t concern him. He shouldn’t have been shocked, of course, he was used to such treatment. He was silly to think that a simple change of location would change that. Not that it mattered, he just needed to lay low and get ahead. Then he’d show those bastards who the loser is.  
  
A man sitting nearby was listening to music so loud that Goro could hear it through his headphones. It mostly sounded like screaming, but the man seemed to be enjoying it well enough. He was rocking back and forth to the music and occasionally bumping into the people around him, seemingly impervious to the dirty looks he was getting.  
  
“I keep telling him that he needs to leave me alone but he just keeps showing up.” a woman was talking to her friend a few feet away.  
  
“He’s such a miserable man.” the friend said, nodding along.  
  
_Today on train news: NEW JOINT IN TOWN?: Local restaurant chain “Big Bang Burger” saw its stock go up dramatically today, a favorable turn of events for the company after a large and risky acquisition of the holdings of one of its former competitors, “Pinky’s Powderhouse Pancake Shack”._  
  
“I don’t know how much longer I can stand it.” The woman continued, “He just won’t give up.”  
  
The train cart lurched slightly, causing Goro to bump his head against the wall. A little girl sitting by her mother saw him and started to laugh.  
  
The news story continued. _In politics, RISING IN THE RANKS: up in coming politician Masayoshi Shido is quickly garnering popularity with his controversial stance against Diet Member Takahashi’s new proposal for the funding of public housing-_  
  
Goro’s jaw clenched. He tried to focus on the ground in front of him. In the corner of his eye he could feel the girl’s eyes still on him.  
  
_“—Shido stressed the importance of creating a less restrictive housing situation for the good of everyone. Although initially standing alone in this assertion, followers soon arose to support his position—“_  
  
“Sometimes I could just kill him. That way he will leave me alone for sure” the raincoat clad woman said, looking pained.  
  
“Dont’s say that!” her friend said, looking around to see if anybody was watching. Goro pretended to read one of the advertisements above.  
  
The baby continued to cry. Its mother desperately tried to shush it. The man listening to music lightly kicked Goro's shoes as he tapped his feet to the rhythim.  
  
The girl was still staring.  
  
What did she see?  
  
“Oh I know, I’m just tired. Someday I worry that he’ll start bothering Ana at school. I don’t know what I’ll do if he does.”  
  
Somewhere on the train a man could be heard grumbling about parents not being able to control their damn kids.  
  
_This was Shido, speaking at today’s press conference: “I believe that we cannot build a healthy populace if the people do not even have safe and affordable homes to return to at night. With the generous support of—“_  
  
Goro closed his eyes. He tried to block out the noise.  
  
_—I know that we can work together to achieve a greater—_  
  
“—just so tired—”  
  
“Sasha, it’s rude to stare—“  
  
The baby’s cries got louder. The man who had been complaining slammed his hand against the wall up his hands and shouted ”—PLEASE SHUT THAT BABY UP—”  
  
————  
  
It was dark by the time Goro finally made it above ground. The streetlights fizzled to life around him as he walked up to the front door of the place he had been staying in for the past few months.  
  
The house belonged to Mrs. Mina Saito, a small, middle aged woman whose husband had died about ten years ago, leaving her childless and with a sizable insurance payment.  
  
She was well respected in the neighborhood, largely for her generosity in taking in hapless waifs into her home, Goro being the latest among them. She worked from home, running some sort of cosmetics business that he did not fully understand. And, as far as Goro could tell, she never seemed to actually sleep.  
  
The first thing Goro noticed when he opened the door was a foreign pair of shoes placed neatly by the door. A guest. He stifled a groan. The last thing Goro needed right now was to deal with one of her guests.  
  
Goro carefully took off his shoes and peeked into the living room. Almost immediately Mina came though the door.  
  
“—you’ll see when he gets here—oh!” Mina came in through the door and stopped when she saw him, “Oh my! you almost gave me a heart attack!”  
  
Mina was a fairly short woman, but she had a way of making herself appear larger than she was. There was just something about the way she occupied a room that made her presence impossible to ignore.  
  
“Who is that Mina-chan?” a voice called in from the kitchen.  
  
“It’s just Goro-kun! He’s finally home.” Mina turned to Goro, walking towards him, her voice tinged with a faux chide, “He’s so quiet around the house that I have half a mind to put a bell on him!”  
  
Mina placed a hand on Goro’s shoulder and squeezed. Hard. Goro did not move as she leaned close and hissed “I told you to stop _prowling_ around the house! Announce yourself when you come in like a _civilized_ person.”  
  
With that, she took a step back and resumed talking in her sweet, sing-song voice “Now come in here, Goro-kun there’s someone I’d like you to meet!”  
  
Mina walked into the kitchen and he followed her in. Sitting at the small kitchen table was a woman that was around the same age as Mina, they both smiled politely at him, he smiled back.  
  
“Aya-Chan, this is Goro Akechi, he’s the boy I’ve been caring fot for the past few months.”  
  
“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Aya said, nodding slightly, “I’m an old friend of Mina-chan. She’s told me much about you!”  
  
“It’s truly a pleasure.” Goro said, bowing slightly, “All good things, I hope?”  
  
Aya laughed, “Of course. You are very lucky to have someone like her taking care of you.”  
  
“Yes, I am very grateful, she has been very good to me.”  
  
Mina was not a bad caretaker. In fact, of all of his foster parents, she was one of the better ones. She was not a particularly affectionate person but that meant she largely left Goro to his own devices. He liked that about her.  
  
She provided him with food and shelter, and in return she only asked that he stayed out of trouble, and that he played the part of the grateful and successful foster child. And it just so happened that Goro excelled at doing just that.  
  
It was an arrangement that worked out neatly for the both of them really. She needed a bauble to impress and show off to her friends. Goro needed somewhere to live. It was a win-win.  
  
“Goro-Kun has really been dedicating himself to his studies! He works so hard, in fact, he’s home so late because he was at school studying all evening!” She gave him a look, “Isn’t that right?”  
  
“Oh, you caught me.” Goro said, feigning embarrassment.  
  
“Oh surely not!” Aya piped up, “A strapping young man like yourself should be out having fun!”  
  
“You flatter me, Aya-san. But, as Saito-san taught me, good grades are key to future success.” Mina seemed to like that little embellishment.“ And speaking of, I still have some homework to take care of, believe it or not! If you would excuse me?“  
  
“Of course! Of course! Don’t let us keep you.” Mina said, waving him off.  
  
Goro thanked the two and climbed the stairs up to his room, stopping to listen once he was well out of sight.  
  
Aya started. “He seems like a nice boy. Much more well-behaved than that last girl you took in!”  
  
“Oh yes! You have no idea Aya. That last girl was a little monster. She would get into fights at school all of the time! She was always sulking, she talked back to me constantly AND she wet the bed almost once a week!”  
  
“How awful!”  
  
“Awful doesn’t even begin to cover it! I’m convinced she would wet the bed on purpose. All a pathetic cry for attention. I just had to send her back.”  
  
“You would think that children in those situations would be more grateful to be given a home.”  
  
“Well you know how it is.” Mina said, taking on a pained voice, “It’s the risk you take in taking on problem children. I’m just glad they sent me a normal one this time. Someone who I can actually influence for the better!”  
  
“And it already seems to be paying off. That boy will do well with you as a good influence on his life.”  
  
“To be honest Aya,” she said lowering her voice, “I was a little skeptical at first. They said that he used to start fights all the time at school. Always caused trouble with other kids, came to class all beat up, that sort of thing.”  
  
“No!” Aya gasped.  
  
“You wouldn’t believe it just from looking at him, I know.” A chair scraped across the floor “So I made sure to set the ground rules from the beginning. I let him know where he stood and what would and would not be tolerated. And just like that, Goro-kun took to my advice and has been doing very well. Really, it’s guidance that these problem children need, and I suppose whoever had him last just wasn’t up to giving it.”  
  
“Really Mina, you are so generous for allowing kids like that into your home. I could never—”  
  
They kept talking but Goro had lost interest. He made his way to his bedroom.  
  
Goro did not bother to turn on the lights. Instead he flopped onto his bed .  
  
He grabbed his phone to set an alarm for tomorrow morning. The red app was still there, tantalizing in its mystery.  
  
He set the alarm put his phone down.  
  
———  
  
That night Goro dreamed of flickering shadows and red water. Then he heard someone laughing, loud and triumphant and as clear as a bugle announcing the cavalry.  
  
———  
  
“Wonderful job, Akechi! A perfect score. You’ve impressed me yet again.” The teacher said as Akechi picked up his graded test from the front of the class.  
  
“Thank you sir, I only did what you said and made sure to keep diligent notes.” Akechi took the test gratefully.  
  
“Hey that transfer kid’s pretty smart!” Someone whispered.  
  
“That’s what I like to hear. Keep up the good work.” The teacher smiled.  
  
Akechi sat down barely able to suppress a grin. He had been waiting all day to get that test back and it had gone better than he could have possibly hoped.  
  
The good mood persisted after class was dismissed and the school day had ended. He walked out of the school with his head held high and began walking towards the train station when he heard someone shout from somewhere behind him.  
  
“There he is!”  
  
Akechi turned around to see someone running towards him. It was Takeo, following close behind was another student. He was tall and imposing and he looked at Goro like a cat eying a mouse.  
  
Takeo slowed to a halt a few feet from Akechi, he was every out of breath. “There—hah—“ he stopped to catch his breath, placing his hands on his knees. “This—this is the guy—huagh!“  
  
Takeo was cut off as the other student pushed him aside, “God Sugawara get a grip,” he said, looking Goro up and down, seemingly appraising him. “So you’re Akechi, right?”  
  
“Yes…” He said, warily. “Can I help you?” Goro took a quick look around. The two had caught Goro in an empty, out of the way street, away from anybody who might intervene.  
  
The boy laughed. “Well, I’m glad you asked! My name’s Hitoshi. You see, Takeo-kun here tells me that you have my money. And I’d like it back.”  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
  
“D-don’t call me a liar you- you thief!” Takeo yelled, indignantly.  
  
“Shut it Sugawara. Don’t try to be intimidating, it’s embarrassing.” his associate said, not even facing him. “Look, I know how it is. Takeo’s a pathetic little fuck. It must have been very easy to take the money from him, and I can understand the temptation of easy pickings. But that money is mine and I would like it back.”  
  
“Well I’m very sorry, Hitoshi-senpai, but I truly do not know what you’re talking about. I have not taken any money from Sugawara. In fact, we have barely spoken before this. He is lying to you.”  
  
“Why you—“ Takeo started, but was silenced by a look from Hitoshi.  
  
“Well this is a problem!” Hitoshi continued, sounding amicable.  
  
“It certainly sounds like a problem. But here is nothing I can do about that, I’m afraid. Now, If you’ll excuse me.” Goro began to walk away, turning his back on the two.  
  
He felt a firm hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stop.  
  
“Now hold on.” Hitoshi said, “We’re not done talking.”  
  
He looked at Hitoshi’s grubby hands, slopped on his shoulder. A hefty, but dexterous hand with dried blood encrusting the base of his thumbnail. It seems that Hitoshi has a bad habit of ripping out his cuticles. It was so different from Mina’s hands, small and wiry and well manicured. Only the grip was familiar.  
  
Goro took a deep breath, “Really, because I was under the impression that we were. Now please let go.”  
  
“No no, You see, I still don’t have my money. He says you stole it. Now, either he’s lying or—“  
  
“And I am telling you that he is lying to you. What reason could I possibly have for stealing money from him.” Goro shot a dirty look at Takeo, who stepped back a little but glared back at him. “This has nothing to do with me. Now. Please. Let. Go.” Akechi shrugged off Hitoshi’s hand.  
  
Hitoshi looked him over, sizing him up. “You have to understand Akechi-kun.” Hitoshi said moving in closer, “I don’t care.”  
  
Goro stood his ground but his heart was beating a mile a minute.  
  
“Let me level with you. I actually believe that you didn’t steal the money. But, frankly, that’s not my problem, I don’t take vary kindly to being robbed. I’m getting my money back one way or another and you’re going to help. Something tells me that you will have more luck at it than our friend over there. They say you’re pretty smart, after all.”  
  
“And why on earth would I do that?” Goro was getting tired of this conversation.  
  
Hitoshi leaned in close. He smelled like sweat and deodorant and cigarette smoke. Goro could see his teeth through his sneer, they were small and glistening and far too close to his face.  
  
“Because I don’t think you would like the whole school to know about your little _secret_ , would you?” Hitoshi whispered.  
  
Goro stared at him.  
  
“That’s right. An orphan huh? And not only that, a bastard to boot. A _literal_ bastard! You don’t see that every day around here.” He gestured to the school building, before continuing. “Dad was some good for nothing loser. Your mother killed herself when you were a little kid? How tragic. You’ve done a good job keeping all that under wraps! I don’t blame you, that sort of thing can really make it hard to get by. What would the other students say if they found out?”  
  
“How… How could you—“  
  
Hitoshi laughed again, his too-close teeth exposed, “Oh right, you’re new here. Of course you wouldn’t know.” he readjusted his hair. “Full name's Hitoshi Nakamura. I’m the principal’s son. So you could say I’ve got connections. It was pretty nice of my dad to keep your secret for you... Well,” he grinned, “mostly.”  
  
Goro remembered sitting in the principal’s office. Now that he thought of it, he recognized the smell of smoke emanating from Hioshi as being the same smell that almost suffocated him in the principal’s office. He probably stole the cigarettes from his father.  
  
“I’m glad I finally have your attention.” Hitoshi said.  
  
“Now, look. You’re a smart guy; I can tell that you’ve got ambition. And the last thing I want to do is get in the way of that. But it’ll be much harder for you to do that with that hanging over your head,“ he said, reasonably, “So let’s make a deal. You help Takeo-kun here get the 50 thousand yen he owes me and I keep your little secret for you. No one else will ever have to know. Pretty generous, don’t you think?”  
  
Goro did not respond. He just kept looking at Hitoshi, studying his face. He really should have known Hitoshi was the principal’s son earlier. They look so similar. The same round face. The same smug look. A look that told Goro that he wasn’t good enough, and never would be. Like Hitoshi had already discerned everything there was to know about Goro and where his life was headed from that single look, and he was neither impressed or surprised by what he saw. The same look he’d seen on teachers and foster parents and other children.  
  
He curled up his fists. Goro could still feel the tender spots in his palms from when he dug his nails into them.  
  
“Well,” Hitoshi demanded, a touch of impatience in his voice. Once again grabbing Goro by the shoulder, more forcefully this time. “I don’t have all day you know. I’m giving you a chance and you better take it if you know what’s goo—“  
  
Hitoshi never finished that sentence, his mouth was too full of blood.  
  
Hitoshi did not cry out, instead he wordlessly staggered back. Goro looked down at his left hand, which was still clenched in a tight fist. His arms were shaking, his knuckles cut from where they met with Hitoshi’s front teeth.  
  
Hitoshi clutched his mouth with both hands, blood and muffled curses escaping between his fingers.  
  
Takeo looked on in horror and unsure how to act.  
  
“You…you son of a bitch!” red spittle flecked out when he spoke.  
  
“I-I” Goro stammered, looking back and forth between his hand and Hitoshi's bloodied face. "I didn't... I'm..."  
  
And he turned and fled, running away as if hell itself was at his heels. 


	2. Awakening

He ran until the stitch in his side forced him to stop and catch his breath. Leaning against a wall, Goro looked around. He was in some residential area, the noises of the traffic and the murmur of people could be heard in the distance, but this particular street was quiet and desolate. His ragged breaths were magnified in the relative stillness.

With a pained grimace, Goro clutched his left hand by the wrist and examined it, opening and closing his grip with care. It was only then, the adrenaline and the sheer panic having worn off, that Goro was able to appreciate just how much it hurt. HIs knuckles, still oozing blood, were red and swollen. His fingers felt stiff and sluggish.

And with the pain came the crushing realization of what he had done.

He had punched Hitoshi Nakamura in the face. Of all of the people he could have punched in the face, it had to be the son of the principal of the prestigious school he had worked so hard to get into. Never mind his secret getting out, Goro saw that hateful look in Hitoshi’s eye, Hitoshi was surely going to go to his father and get him expelled.

He could see it now, Hitoshi coming his father, all bloodied and bruised, maybe he would even squeeze out some crocodile tears for effect, He would tell him about the horrible transfer student who decked him in the face, completely unprovoked. Yes, the same one you had deigned to allow to go to your school. “He went insane,” he’d say between sobs, “I think he wanted to kill me!” I don’t know why you would even let someone like that out of his school. They told you he was a problem child from the start, didn’t they?

It was over, there was no recovering from this.

“ _Idiot_.” he hissed, covering his face with his good hand. “Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. _Idiot_.”

There were so many things in Goro’s life that he had no say in. He did not choose to be born the way he was. He was not consulted when his mother made the decision that led to his being sent to the orphanage. HIs fate always seemed to be in the hands of adults that didn’t care about him at all.

So Goro instead fixated on the one thing he could control: himself.

On his worst days, he took comfort in knowing that, no matter what shit life decided to throw his way, he could always decide how he would react to it. That, if nothing else, he could rely on his own judgement to deal with whatever came and try to find the best solution. This belief gave Goro purpose as well as the drive to do what needed to be done to defy the fate that the world had already laid out for him. It was what gave him the strength to get out of bed in the mornings, to get out of that hellish orphanage, even get a scholarship at a respectable school that everyone said was beyond his reach.

But in just one instant, in one moment of weakness, he had destroyed all of that. All because he had lost control.

Turns out he could not even rely on himself after all.

A bizarre, electronic ping cut through his thoughts and dragged him back onto the solitary street. With some awkward maneuvering, Goro was eventually able to snake his right hand into his left pocket and pull out his phone. It seemed that annoying red app had been the source of the disturbance.

Oh great, it was making noises now.

He started to drag the icon to the trash like always, but stopped midway. That same old twinge of curiosity nagged at him. Why not just open it? He had already made his colossal, life shattering mistake for the day, so what did he have to lose? Maybe it was some sort of virus that stole all his money but who cares? He doesn’t have any money to steal. At that moment, Goro needed something, anything, to distract him from his current situation.

Why the hell not, Goro thought, tapping the phone and opening the app.

Instantly, the icon expanded until the peculiar eye symbol covered his whole screen. The icon then gave way to what appeared to be an overhead map of his current location. This was then followed by a voice prompt:

_Welcome to the MetaNav. Please input location parameters to begin navigation._

There was no way this was simply a normal navigation app, but he couldn’t imagine what else it could be for. Perhaps he would log into his e-mail tomorrow to find it inundated with pornography It was then, looking at his phone screen, that he noticed the time.

Goro knew that he should probably head home. But the thought of facing Mina in his current state filled him with an icy dread. She would not take well to learning that he had violated the terms of their agreement. He was supposed to be the "normal" one, her success story to be shared with her friends over tea. How will she react once she discovers that her newest charge is not, in fact, "normal" and that he is just as defective and ungrateful and unsalvageable as the rest of them. He thought about the girl who came before him, the bed wetter, and how she had to be "sent back". Now he's... but Goro quickly stopped that train of thought before the panic became too much to bear.

Instead he thought back to Hitoshi. That power hungry loser. As screwed as he was, Goro could not deny that the memory of punching that fucker in the face brought him the tiniest bit of satisfaction.The look of unguarded shock on his face was something Goro would treasure for a long time to come. His face was like that of a lion that, so used to taking what it wants, never expected the zebra to kick it in the teeth. But was it worth it? Goro closed his eyes and sighed, leaning his head back against the cool stone wall. There wasn’t much chance that he could save himself at this point. Maybe if he crawled over to Hitoshi's house right now and grovelled at his feet he might give him a chance. Types like him love to see that sort of thing, after all. Not that Goro could if he even wanted to. He didn’t even know where Hitoshi lived.

 _Please input location parameters to begin navigation._ The phone repeated its prompt.

He opened his eyes, looking back down at the navigation screen, “You wouldn’t happen to know where Hitoshi Nakamura lives would you?” he asked jokingly.

A pause, then the voice said _Searching Mementos…_

“Mementos?” Goro repeated. Almost immediately the phone piped up again.

 _Match found. Hitoshi Nakamura. Mementos. Level 4. Beginning navigation_.

Goro never moved an inch, but for one terrible instant, it felt as if he had been teleported to the bottom of the ocean, with the weight of the entire world rushing in to crush him from all directions. He wanted to scream, but it was over before he could even begin to draw in a breath.

 _You have arrived_ , it said, cheerfully.

Goro sprang to his feet like a half drowned man breaching the water's surface. He looked around, frantic, his heart still racing from... whatever that was. But everything seemed normal. He had not moved and the ground felt as solid at it had ever had. But still something felt different. It took him a moment to realize it, but it was far too quiet. The constant murmur of people and the ever present roar of traffic was gone. Now there was only silence. Complete. Unnatural.

Goro looked back down at his phone, which had resumed showing the map. The only difference now was that the map showed a glowing mark at the other end of the street. With no other options, Goro decided follow it, pulled forward by his curiosity and a strange sense of purpose.

The next street was just as desolate as the last. He followed the nav to a subway entrance. A simple staircase leading down below street level. He double checked the nav, this was definitely the place he was supposed to go.

The subway stop itself looked innocuous enough, but there was something about the darkness at the base of the steps that looked almost solid.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” he mumbled to himself. With one last look at the street, he steeled himself and descended the staircase.

When he got to the base of the steps, the same impenetrable gloom surrounded him. The light from ground level did not penetrate it at all. He forced himself to keep going, despite his growing fears, but the darkness remained absolute.

Until it wasn’t.

As if someone had flipped a switch, Goro suddenly found himself in what appeared to be a very log hallway. The walls were red. No, the walls were covered in some sort of dark red substance that looks far too much like blood. And it wasn’t a hallway, it was a tunnel., And there were tracks on the floor. Train tracks.

Goro whirled around, desperately trying to orient himself, but the staircase he had used to get down here had disappeared. Instead there was just a solid stone wall which was covered in the same pulsating, fleshy substance as everything else, including the ceiling which arched high above his head. Much higher than he knew ground level should have been.

This entire situation was so terrifying that Goro was able to bypass the horror and go straight into rationalization.

This must be a dream, he reasoned. The very thought immediately calming him down. He obviously must have been overcome by the sheer horror of what he had done to Hitoshi that he passed out in that lonely street. Or better still, maybe this entire day was nothing but a horrible nightmare. He really hadn’t punched the mouth of the one person that could ruin his life in one stroke. This whole thing had been just one excruciatingly long nightmare and this disgusting train scenario was just the part where things got really weird and he finally woke up.

The only hitch in his flawless logic is that he could still feel the dull ache in his left hand. But surely he was dreaming that too. He had to be.

Seeing as he was stuck here, Goro decided to explore a bit and see if he could find an exit. But this was easier said than done. This subway system was unlike anything even the most deranged of urban planners could come up with, as the tunnels functioned more like a maze than anything else, with the corridors twisting and turning nonsensically, stopping at random walls and even climbing up the walls. The same pulsating meat-like crust covered everything, going uninterrupted for as far as Goro could see.

The soundscape down there was equally unpleasant. The eerie quiet from above ground was replaced by the constant rushing of wind and a persistent whispering sound that seemed to always come from somewhere just beyond the darkness ahead. Occasionally there was the distant sound of a passing train, but it never sounded like they ever came close to him.

Goro walked along the tracks for about half an hour but saw no sign of an exit or even a significant change in scenery. The only thing that occasionally broke up the monotony of the tunnels being the occasional door, all of them disappointments, as most did not open at all. The few that did led only to what appeared to be maintenance closets. With little else to do while he wandered, Goro's mind sought ways of entertaining itself.

Maintenance closets. An oddly mundane addition to a place like this. The existence of maintenance closets of course implied maintenance workers. Maintenance workers need to come and go, so it is safe to assume that there is an exit. Unless. Unless the maintenance workers never leave. But that is absurd, what sort of person could live in a place like this? It was when he started to imagine that sort of person, assuming it was a person at all, that Goro decided to focus on the task at hand. He was working himself up over nothing, he knew that. But as the minutes passed, he could not shake the growing feeling that he was not alone.

Just then, Goro heard whispering, lower pitched and distinct from the others. It was coming from somewhere ahead of him.

He turned a corner and, to his surprise, saw a person standing at the end of a tunnel. The person was in shadow but they had a stocky silhouette, they faced the corner, mumbling something to themselves. Any relief that Goro might have felt at hearing another human being vanished. But he could not just ignore them either. So he decided to approach with caution. Silently, he inched closer and closer, until finally the shape became recognizable.

“Nakamura?”

The figure turned around, startled. It was definitely Hitoshi, he was still wearing his school uniform, which looked fantastically out of place.

Hitoshi’s look of shock quickly turned into hatred. “You...” he growled, a dangerous glint in his eye. “You’ve got some nerve showing up here.”

“I—“ Goro wasn’t sure what to make of this, but given the circumstances, he decided to get to the point. “Where is _here_ , exactly?”

“Don’t think you can distract me by asking stupid questions.” he spat, “Now, have you come to beg for forgiveness?”

Goro felt his anger rising again but he tried to stay focused at the matter at hand. “Hitoshi, look, I’m sorry about what I did. It was out of line, but I think we should ge—“

Hitoshi laughed, taking a few steps towards him. If Goro didn’t know any better, he would have sworn his eyes were glowing.

“Sorry?! Ha! You ain’t getting out of this with some shitty ‘sorry.’ Nobody embarrasses me and gets away with it. I want you to get on your knees and grovel for mercy.” Hitoshi was about 5 feet away from him now.

Before he could respond, Goro heard footsteps coming up from behind him.

“Ah, looks like we have company.” Hitoshi smiled and waved “Over here boys!”

Goro turned and was faced with… well he wasn’t sure. Out of the darkness came three hulking things. They were running towards him, their inky, amorphous bodies undulating with every crooked step. They came to a halt just in front of Goro, their masked faces turned attentively towards Hitoshi.

Akechi was surrounded.

“Wh-what is this Nakamura?”

“Oh, these are my friends, they help me deal with nuisances. Nuisances like you.” He nodded to the monster to his left, which barreled towards Akechi and picked him up with both of its enormous hands. Goro struggled uselessly in the thing’s grasp, but it was too strong, pinning his arms fast to his sides.

“Hhnng-! Hitoshi, wait!” Goro cried.

Hitoshi nodded again to the monster. The next thing Goro knew he was being slammed back-first into the nearest wall, knocking all of the air out of his lungs. Something hard and jagged dug into his spine. The monster let go and Goro fell to the ground in a heap.

As he gasped for breath, the first thought that entered his head was about how much that hurt.

_This isn’t a dream. This isn’t a dream._

Hitoshi strolled over, stopping and kneeling just in front of him. “You really think you can make something of yourself? You? You’re nothing.”

Goro needed air.

“It does’t matter how smart you think you are, or how if you get the best grades or not, you’ll always be just somebody’s mistake. Some people are meant to succeed. And you’re not one of them. The sooner you learn that the better.”

Hitoshi stood and two of the monsters pulled Goro up so that he was at eye level with Hitoshi. They held him up by his arms, one monster grabbing each arm on either side.

“Now, I’m willing to give you a second chance, Goro-kun. Isn’t that nice? You hurt me, and that’s no good. I know all about your record, and I’m sure my father won’t abide by some delinquent that just randomly attacks innocent students at his school. Don’t you agree, Goro-kun?”

“I…it wasn’t…you can’t—” he gasped.

“Oh but you know very well that I can. Now, I can also forgive and forget. Maybe we can revisit my previous offer? Although 50K isn’t gonna cut it anymore. I say we double it. That’s a lot of money, I know, but you could work it off, of course. I could use a new lackey to deliver goods for me. I have a little business, you know. It’s doing rather well.” He said, but shook his head, “But I’m getting ahead of myself. We can work out the details later. First, I just need you to apologize. Do that, and my friends here won’t dislocate your shoulders. And besides, t’s not good for you to hold on to all that anger. So, what do you say?”

The monsters tightened their grip on his arms. They were starting to go numb.

Goro considered Hitoshi’s offer. All he had to do was swallow his pride and play the part, and this would all be over. He had done this same thing before, hadn’t he? Every single day, he put on the mask of the diligent student, the grateful, lowly orphan, whatever he needed to be to get by. What was one more time going to change?

On any other day, Goro would have just done as he was told. Bowed his head and let it happen. But now, surrounded by all of this, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

At that very moment, he hated Hitoshi. He hated him so very much. And it wasn’t just that, it was as if all of the hatred that he had for all of the people that had screwed him over suddenly converged on this one person. All that anger he had been surpassing for these past few months came rushing forth and for once, he didn’t try to stop it.

“Well?” Hitoshi said, “All you have to do is beg. Like the trash that you are.”

Goro met Hitoshi’s gaze, “No.”

“What?” he said, surprised.

“You heard me you miserable piece of shit.” Goro spat, letting his pent up rage wash over him. He enjoyed the feeling. “All this time I’ve been listening to you go on and on and I’m sick of it.”

Goro was surprising himself, but it felt amazing to just let it out like that.”You’re right, I’m an orphan. I’m a mistake. But if you think that makes you better than me then you’re wrong. I have done nothing but work and sweat and claw my way up in spite of assholes like you. What have you done? You’re just some punk who deals drugs and thinks he’s hot shit because his daddy’s the god damn principal. You’re nothing.”

Hitoshi’s face twisted in anger, but he quickly stifled it and took a breath. He looked at Goro sadly, “Is that so? Well I guess you’re not as smart as I thought you were after all.” he turned around “I’ve changed my mind. You’re not even worth bringing up to my father. I’d rather just deal with you now.” he waved his hand, “Kill him.”

The monsters’ grip on Goro tightened as they turned him around. He struggled but nothing he did did any good. The third monster approached, it’s claws elongating and glinting menacingly in the red glow of the subway.

Goro writhed and kicked but the monsters were too strong. He couldn’t get out. This was it.

_What happens now, child? Will you die here? Alone, with no one to mourn you?_

He looked around, but he could not see the speaker.The voice seemed to come from inside his own head.

_Will you give under the weight of your anguish? Are you just going to disappear quietly…disappear like your poor mother. That would certainly be convenient for Him, wouldn’t it?_

The memory came rushing back to him as clear as the day it happened. The bathtub. The water was red. Blood everywhere. He tried to help, tried to stop the bleeding, but it just got all over his hands.

It was his fault. It was all his fault.

Then he thought of Shido. His father. That piece of shit was the one who left them. He left her to die… he threw her away. Threw them both away. He could not stand the idea of him rising to fame while Goro died here.

“No… I won’t let him win.” he growled, to no one in particular.

“What was that,” Hitoshi asked, “You got something to say?”

 _Wonderful_. The voice sounded joyful. _I can sense the resolve within you. I will gladly lend you my power but first…will you vow to me?_

“Yes” He didn’t know what he was saying, but he didn’t care.

_Then let us not waste any more time. On to our contract!”_

The world exploded in pain. His whole body burned, He couldn’t breathe. He strained against the arms that held him. The same voice boomed in his ears, every word bringing with it a fresh wave of agony.

_I am thou. Thou art I._

Goro screamed, tears burning in the corners of his eyes.

“Oh calm down you wuss,” Hitoshi scoffed, “he hasn’t even touched you ye—what!?”

A powerful force pushed back the monsters, causing them to drop Goro on the ground, his knees banged down on the floor.

_All your life, you have been subject to the whims of powerful men. You are unwanted. A loose end. He, the one who sits upon a throne made from spent humanity, would rejoice at the news of your demise. You will not give him the satisfaction._

He clawed at the ground, retching. It felt like something had plunged its filthy hand deep into his gut and was thrashing everything around.

_There is no justice save that which you make for yourself. Are you willing to break your chains and avenge those who fell before you? Drag yourself up from your wretched lot and take what has been stolen from you and so many others? Accept my power and we will take our justice!_

“Yes!” he screamed. And just then, a name pushed itself into his mind.

“Come to me, Robin Hood!”

Another, more powerful blast knocked Hitoshi and his monsters to the ground. The pain subsided enough for Goro to be able to push himself to his feet. There was something on his face. He tried to pull it off, tried to pry his fingers underneath it but it felt as if he was peeling off his own flesh. But just then, his mind was occupied by one single, overwhelming desire: he needed to get this thing off. It was suffocating him. He kept pulling and ripping and, with one final, cathartic movement, tore the thing off of his face, blood spilling all over the floor.

The pain was gone. Goro was standing up, his body humming with electricity. He was mad as hell, but for the first time in his life he felt like he actually knew what to do about it.

Goro looked around, the monsters and Hitoshi were several feet away from him, struggling to stand up against some invisible wind that, Goro realized, was coming from himself. That familiar voice boomed once again, but this time it came from behind him. It laughed, a laugh as deep and rich as honey. “ _AHAHAHAHA WHAT a glorious day! We meet at last!”_

Goro turned and before him, radiant and enormous, stood Robin Hood. He was like something straight out of the television shows Goro watched as a child. Strong and luminous , but radiating compassion and reassurance, everything a hero should be. In his left hand, he held held a golden bow that stood almost as tall as him. Robin Hood’s face was expressionless, but somehow Goro still got the impression that he was smiling at him.

“ _M’ilord_ ,” Robin Hood kneeled, placing his bow on the floor before him. _I have waited so long for this moment. My powers are yours._

Goro approached Robin Hood as an old friend. “It is an honor to finally meet.” Goro bowed.

“Hey!”

Goro and Robin Hood turned their heads towards the voice. Hitoshi and his goons had gotten back up. “Haha… so you’ve got some backup. So what? You think this freak and some fancy new getup's gonna help you? You’re still trash!”

The monsters rushed forward, claws out and with their eyes set on Goro.

Goro regarded them cooly and pointed at them, “Robin Hood, Take them.”

_With pleasure, M'ilord._

He sprung forward, rolling to his feet and picking up his bow in one fluid movement. He pulled back the string, and in a dazzling flash of light, two arrows shot straight through the two closest monsters. The arrows pierced their shadowy bodies with ease, their light lingering in the gaping wound in their chests before expanding and overtaking their forms until they burst, dissipating like a dark fog in the morning sun.

“The fuck?” Hitoshi said, backing away. “Don’t just stand there!” he barked at the remaining monster, “GET HIM.”

The final monster roared as it charged at Goro, who removed his sword from its sheath at his side and effortlessly sliced the monster in half. It collapsed before him into a helpless pile of tar before dissolving.

Goro studied the sword, its thin blade glowed a cool blue, as if it was made of light itself. In fact, he knew that it was.

Goro chuckled to himself. “Well that was surprisingly easy, Hitoshi-kun, now—“ he turned to where Hitoshi had been standing just a moment ago, but he was gone.

He sighed, “Why am I not surprised.”

The threat gone, Goro was able to take note of what he was wearing, the “fancy getup” that Hitoshi had referred to. It was a white uniform of some sort. The pleated pants and shirt were so crisp and clean that it looked like they had only just been laundered. His shoes were polished perfectly and the mirror shine did not betray any sort of scuff or stain. It did not look like he had just been in a fight at all, almost as if he was impervious to the grime and filth that surrounded him.

He looked practically like a prince. That thought made him laugh aloud.

He now turned his attention to Robin Hood, who stood before him almost expectantly. He suddenly felt sheepish, the sheer bizarreness of the situation washing over him.

“… Robin Hood?” he asked after a brief, awkward silence,

_Yes, M'ilord?_

“Is this really happening?”

The large figure regarded him for a moment and walked over to him, placing his enormous hands reassuringly on one shoulder. Goro felt a comforting warmth emanating from it and did not so much as flinch.

_I believe you already know the answer to that._

And with that, Robin Hood took one final bow and disappeared in a flash of light. That light then hovered in the air where the figure once stood, before floating towards Goro who instinctively held his hands out to receive it. The light came to a gentle stop in his palms, where it reformed and solidified.

“A mask….?”

It was a deep, luxurious red. Its long hooked nose resembling the beak of a bird. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is a story that I've been chipping away at for months now believe it or not and it's still not exactly how I'd like it, but I figured I should just let it go now and just see what other people think!


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